Defending champions Ulsan HD prepare for marathon 2025 season
Published: 05 Feb. 2025, 15:40
![Players attending the K League 1 season-opening media day pose next to the championship trophy at the KFA House in Seoul on Feb. 5. From left: Kim Young-gwon of Ulsan HD FC, Jeon Min-gwang of Pohang Steelers, Lee Min-gi of Gwangju FC and Park Jin-seob of Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors. [NEWS1]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/02/05/709785de-d69a-4bdb-ac73-7d1f09778b4a.jpg)
Players attending the K League 1 season-opening media day pose next to the championship trophy at the KFA House in Seoul on Feb. 5. From left: Kim Young-gwon of Ulsan HD FC, Jeon Min-gwang of Pohang Steelers, Lee Min-gi of Gwangju FC and Park Jin-seob of Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors. [NEWS1]
A typical Korean football season is already long enough, going from February to late November or to early December. And the 2025 campaign will be particularly grueling for Ulsan HD FC, the three-time defending K League 1 champions.
In addition to trying to defend their domestic crown, they will compete in the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Champions League Elite tournament, with the league phase set to resume next week and the 2025-2026 edition scheduled to kick off later in the year. Ulsan will also play at the Korea Cup, the largest national tournament featuring professional and amateur teams.
Then starting in June, Ulsan will be one of four AFC representatives at the expanded FIFA Club World Cup in the United States.
If Ulsan captain Kim Young-gwon is feeling any stress over the busy calendar, he didn't show it Wednesday.
"We're preparing for four competitions this year and we've been working hard to get the results we want at all four of them," Kim said at the K League 1 season-opening media day at the Korea Football Association House in Seoul. "Now it's time for us to show people what we are capable of. We want to go as high as we can in all four competitions."
Last year, Ulsan fended off a late-season push by Gangwon FC to clinch their third consecutive K League 1 title. They will try to become only the second team in K League history to win four titles in a row, with Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors having won five straight from 2017 to 2021.
"I think we are a title contender because we have guys that have been part of these recent championship teams and they've proven their abilities," Kim said. "I think that kind of experience is our biggest strength."
With the start of the K League 1 season pushed up by a couple of weeks from last year to Feb. 15, teams have had a shorter offseason than in years past. But Kim said it will not affect Ulsan's title pursuit.
![Ulsan HD FC defender Kim Young-gwon speaks during the K League 1 season-opening media day at the KFA house in Seoul on Feb. 5. [YONHAP]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/02/05/0e71592c-7725-4d68-aa81-d8636bd6d8b1.jpg)
Ulsan HD FC defender Kim Young-gwon speaks during the K League 1 season-opening media day at the KFA house in Seoul on Feb. 5. [YONHAP]
"Personally, I think having a long offseason doesn't always help players. We've tried to keep things short and sweet this year," Kim said. "We just have to roll with it and enjoy the circumstances. Personally, I like this setup."
Ulsan had a major turnover in their squad over the winter, and Kim said he was looking forward to helping new teammates get settled in.
Pohang Steelers, who foiled Ulsan's bid for a domestic double by beating them in the Korea Cup final in November, have kept their team mostly intact. Their defender Jeon Min-gwang said Pohang's continuity will work to their advantage.
"Many other teams have been busy signing new players, but I think bringing back key players is going to help us this year," Jeon said. "I think that stability has helped with our offseason training. It has been 12 years since we last won a league title, and we will try to deliver the trophy to our fans this year."
Gwangju FC lost a few players after the 2024 season but have not been able to fill those holes, given their constantly tight budget situation. After finishing in third place in 2023, Gwangju slipped to ninth last year. Another finish in the bottom half of the 12-team league may be in the offing for the little engine.
Their captain Lee Min-gi insisted he wasn't worried about the depleted squad.
"We've never relied on one particular player. Regardless of who is here or who is not here, we will always battle as a team," Lee said. "We don't just chase immediate results. We like to challenge ourselves and try to keep getting better and better. We will let our action on the pitch do the talking."
Jeonbuk probably made the most significant change in the winter, as they hired former Sunderland boss Gus Poyet as new head coach a season after finishing third from last and barely avoiding relegation to the K League 2.
Captain Park Jin-seob said Poyet has tried to whip Jeonbuk players into better shape during the offseason and added, "Hopefully, we will be able to play a more dynamic brand of football with our improved conditioning."
Park said the new head coach has also stressed the importance of the mental side of football.
"He has stressed that no one will be guaranteed a spot in the starting lineup, and it has forced everyone to compete for playing time," Park said. "He has also talked about having a winning mentality and he has tried to put us in the right frame of mind."
Yonhap
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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